Twenty years ago, Irish cooking may have been honest and hearty, but it definitely lacked variety and ambition. Apart from a handful of restaurants in Dublin, the country's cuisine was known for little more than Irish stew and corned beef and cabbage. But there's been a radical and vibrant revolution since then. As Ireland has become vastly more wealthy, confident and demanding, Irish chefs have learned to appreciate and celebrate their homegrown ingredients and to embrace the increasingly diverse nature of Irish culture.

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Few places in the country symbolize this dynamic transformation better than Longueville House in County Cork, opened in 1967 by Jane and Michael O'Callaghan. At first, guests were happy to simply savor the warmth, charm and history of the house, which was built around 1720 on land originally owned by the O'Callaghans. Sited on a hill approached via a long, sweeping drive, the hotel is part of a 500-acre wooded estate that overlooks the verdant Blackwater Valley, but it remains inviting and cozy with its 20 pretty bedrooms.

In the early 1970s, Jane O'Callaghan, spurred on by her love of cooking, began to offer meals to the guests and the hotel's popular restaurant was born. Her son, William, took over as head chef in 1988, and he and his wife, Aisling, who runs front of house, soon established Longueville as an award-winning country house hotel. The restaurant, housed in an ornamentally plastered dining room, was extended to the romantic Victorian ironwork conservatory, which is hung with lanterns William brought back from Morocco.

Like his mother, William has always given priority to the exemplary ingredients available on the estate, which includes a spectacular two-and-a-half-acre walled garden that dates from 1829. Organic meat is sourced from Longueville's own sheep and pigs; salmon and trout are caught in the Blackwater river; and game birds are often shot by William himself. Salmon, hams and sausages are smoked in the O'Callaghans' oak-and-beechwood smokehouse. Seasonal vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown in the garden.

While the rest of the ingredients used in William's dishes—from beef and chicken to seafood and fine Irish cheese—are supplied by small local producers and members of the Irish Slow Food organization, he has always been open to influences from outside the Emerald Isle. He enhances flavors with simple yet ingenious touches; it is modern Irish cooking seasoned with French flair, a legacy of William's two years working in Normandy and at the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in England.

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"I'm simply continuing my mother's tradition of serving bloody good food," says 42-year-old William, who is a proud, committed and uncompromising chef. "My cooking uses the same ingredients, but it's just a little more refined."

The recipes that follow amply demonstrate William's uncomplicated yet creative approach to cooking. In his hands, a traditional Irish vegetable such as cabbage becomes the perfect wrap for a delicately balanced roulade of oyster mushrooms and salmon. Wild rice is made into crunchy fritters with the addition of mild and creamy St. Tola, a "lovely goat's cheese made by lovely people in County Clare." An aromatic herb-and-cumin stuffing enlivens a simple chicken breast, while the garden salad is subtly amplified by a garlic- and herb-infused vinaigrette. William's walnut bread is given satisfying body and bite by adding Murphy's, a local Cork stout. "You can use Guinness, of course, but in this part of the country we regard it as a foreign [Dublin] beer," jokes William. For dessert, fresh rhubarb is enlivened by a classic French sabayon made with Irish Mist liqueur.

"These are dishes that I hope are like the house and restaurant itself," says William. "They are beautiful and gorgeous, but they're also friendly and straightforward. There is nothing stuffy at all about Longueville."

Murphy's & Walnut Bread 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup Irish stout such as Murphy's or Guinness 1 1/2 packets instant dry yeast 1 tablespoon molasses 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading, as needed 1 tsp. salt 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 1. In a saucepan, combine the water and stout and heat to about 90°F. Be careful not to overheat as this will kill the yeast in the stout. 2. Add the yeast and stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve completely. Stir in the molasses. 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and walnuts and make a well in the center. 4. Add the warm yeast mixture and mix well to form a dough (it will be slightly sticky). Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead about 5 minutes or until slightly elastic. 5. Shape the dough into a loaf and place in a buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes; the dough will rise to the top of the pan. 6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. 7. Place the bread in the oven and bake 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the loaf in the pan so that the bottom faces up. Return the bread to the oven and bake until it sounds hollow when tapped, about 15 more minutes. 8. Remove from the pan and let cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Yields 1 loaf.

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Salmon and Oyster Mushrooms Wrapped in Cabbage 1 head green cabbage 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, chopped 1 Tbsp. chopped shallot 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 pound salmon fillet (5 to 6 inches wide), skinned 6 cups cold, packaged or homemade (see below) fish stock 1. Carefully remove 12 large cabbage leaves from the heat of cabbage (reserve remaining cabbage for another use) and wash in cold water. Blanch in boiling, salted water until flexible, 5 to 7 minutes; refresh in ice water to stop the cooking. 2. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shallot, butter, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Let cool. 3. Cut the salmon crosswise into 4 equal pieces, to yield 4 narrow strips. Cut out and discard the ribs from the cabbage leaves. Cut four 12-inch squares of doubled cheesecloth. 4. To assemble: Place a square of cheesecloth on a work surface. Center 3 cabbage leaves, layered, over the bottom half of the cheesecloth to make a 6-inch square of leaves. Season 1 piece of salmon with salt and pepper, and set it on top of the cabbage, 2 to 3 inches from the bottom edge, and centered between left and right sides. Spread with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture. Fold the bottom edge of the cabbage square over the fish and roll to cover completely. Roll in the cheesecloth and tie the ends. Repeat to make 3 more roulades. 5. Place the roulades in a pot or deep frying pan just large enough to hold them in a single layer and pour the fish stock over to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer very gentl until the fish is just cooked through, about 7 minutes. 6. Remove from the stock. Remove the string and cheesecloth, and slice each roulade in three. Place 2 slices on each of 6 plates, and serve hot. Serves 6.

Garden Salad with Herb Vinaigrette Herb Vinaigrette: 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 1 small sprig fresh rosemary 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper (preferably white) Salad: I head oak leaf lettuce 1 bunch mâche lettuce 1 small bunch arugula 1/2 cup sorrel leaves, torn into pieces, if large 2 shallots, chopped 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives Salt1. To make the vinaigrette: Place the olive oil, garlic, and herbs in a small saucepan and heat to 140°F. Turn the heat to very low and cook very gently 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 1 hour to allow the herbs to infuse. Strain, and whisk in a bowl with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. 2. To serve, combine the greens, shallots, and chives in a serving bowl. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the greens, add a pinch of salt, and toss to coat all of the greens with the vinaigrette. Serves 6.

Breast of Chicken with an Herb and Cumin Stuffing and Thyme Sauce Stuffing and Chicken: 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small dice 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 1/2 tsp. ground cumin Salt and pepper (preferably white) 1 cup chopped parsley 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon 6 boneless chicken breasts, with skin (about 1 1/2 pounds total) 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter Sauce: 1 cup white wine 2 cups homemade or reduced salt, store-bought chicken stock (preferably brown chicken stock) 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, cut into pieces Salt and pepper1. To make the stuffing: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, without coloring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir to melt. Then add the breadcrumbs, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir to mix well. Stir in the herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and refrigerate stuffing until chilled. 2. Remove any clumps of fat from the chicken breasts. Then insert index finger between skin and flesh of each breast and gently loosen the skin, being careful not to puncture the skin. 3. Divide the chilled stuffing into 6 equal portions. Work one portion of stuffing under the skin of one breast, pressing the stuffing over the flesh at the wide end of the breast so that half of the breast is covered. Smooth the skin over the stuffing and shape into a domed shape. Then fold the skinny end of the breast under the wide end, thereby folding the breast in half. Use toothpicks to secure; the breast will be in the shape of a rough square. Repeat to stuff, fold, and secure the remaining breasts. 4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil with the butter in a 12-inch, ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the breasts and brown well, about 4 minutes each side, spooning the fat over the breasts as they cook. Place the pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken to a serving plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. 5. To make the sauce: Discard fat from the pan, reserving any juices for the sauce. Pour in the wine and place the pan over high heat. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up the browned bits, until the wine has reduced to 1/4 cup. Add the chicken stock and boil until the mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Reduce the heat to low, add the thyme and any reserved pan juices, and whisk in the butter pieces. Taste for salt (if using store-bought stock, it shouldn't need any) and season with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 6. To serve, remove the toothpicks from the chicken. Place a breast on each of six plates (or cut each breast in half and show one cut side facing up) and spoon the sauce around. Serves 6.

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Wild Rice Fritters with Goat Cheese 1 1/2 cups wild rice 1/2 cup chopped shallot (2 large) 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk 3/4 cup self-rising flour Salt and pepper 4 ounces fresh goat cheese 1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs (such as chive, parsley, coriander) 1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil1. Soak the rice overnight in cold water to cover. Drain, and then place in a saucepan with 8 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the rice is tender but not mushy, 30 to 40 minutes. 2. Drain the rice and transfer to a bowl. Add the shallots, eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper, cheese, and herbs and stir to make a batter. 3. Heat 2 tablespoons each butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Drop the batter into the hot oil by rounded tablespoons, flattening each slightly with the bottom of the spoon. Cook 2 minutes each side until nicely browned. Remove from the pan with a spatula. 4. Continue frying the fritters until all the batter has been used, adding more oil and butter as needed. Makes 36 small fritters.

Rhubarb Gratinéed with Irish Mist Sabayon Rhubarb: 1 pound rhubarb 1 cup water 1 cup sugar Sabayon: 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 3 egg yolks 2 Tbsp. Irish Mist liqueur 1/4 cup heavy cream Confectioners' sugar, for finishing 1 quart good-quality vanilla ice cream 1. To make the rhubarb: Wash rhubarb, trim, and remove tough strings; cut into 1-inch pieces. Place rhubarb in a saucepan with the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and set aside. 2. To make the sabayon: Combine the sugar and water in a very small saucepan. Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, and set aside. Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until then temperature registers 210°F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and immediately begin beating the egg yolks at high speed. Slowly pour in the sugar syrup while beating constantly. Continue beating for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is very pale in color, light, and fluffy. Beat in the Irish Mist liqueur. Refrigerate until cold. 3. To assemble: Preheat the broiler and arrange an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element. Whip the cream and fold into the sabayon mixture. Divide the rhubarb between 6 individual ovenproof plates. Spoon about 6 tablespoons of the sabayon over each. Place under the broiler and broil for 45 seconds, or until gratinéed. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately with the ice cream. Serves 6.

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